Device for adapting service rifles to reduced ranges.



PATENTED OCT. 30, 1906.

A. N. TUCKER. DEVICE FOR ADAPTING SERVICE RIFLES T0 REDUCED RANGES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 2.1905.

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Illllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT NAPOLEON TUCKER, OF BAYSWATER, LONDON, ENGLAND.

DEVICE FOR ADAPTING SERVICE RIFLES TO REDUCED RANGES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30, 1906.

Application filed December 2,1905. Serial No 289.940.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT NAPOLEON TUCKER, captain and quartermaster, Royal Engineers, a'subject of the Kingdom of Great Britain, residing at 24 Porchester Gardens, Bayswater, London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented a certain new and Improved Device for Adapting Service Riiies to Reduced Ranges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved device for adapting service rifles to reduced ranges, the object being to provide a means whereby musketry instruction can be obtained with the ordinary service rifle at reduced ranges, the conditions of which are all proportionate to the conditions under which the same rifie is fired with the full charge at the regulation range.

In the case of the means which have hitherto been used for enabling service rifles to be fired at reduced ranges the conditions-such as the relative lengths and riiiing of the barrel to the caliber and the position of the cartridge-have been so varied that the adjustment of the sight at the reduced range requires to be fixed by practice and generally forms no guide as to the adjustment of the sight required when firing with the same rifle at the regulation ranges. By these improvements this objection is obviated and the length and rifling of the barrel, the position of the cartridge and projectile, and the charge are all so arranged as to be in exactly the same proportions as in the case of the rifle when in use at the full ranges.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried into practice, I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings, upon which I have illustrated the nature of my said improvements.

Figure l is a longitudinal section through part of the barrel of a service rifle, showing the barrel-sleeve part of my device in section L',J45and the cartridge part in elevation and in the position occupied during insertion before being forced home by the breech-bolt. Fig. 2 is a similar sectional elevation to that of Fig. l but showing the cartridge part forced into position ready for firing. Ilig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the cartridge part of the device, illustrating the position of its parts after the cartridge has been inserted and the whole is ready for insertion in the breech. Fig. 4 is a similar section to that of Fig. 3, but showing the position of the parts after the device has been forced into position by the bolt.

In carrying this invention into effect a rifled sleeve A, which is made of a proportionate length to its caliber and the riiling of which is proportionate to that of the barrel, is provided with a boss a at one end to fit the breech and, if desired, with an external thread at the other or muzzle end f1.2 to receive the tapped end of an aluminium or other metal tube B, which is provided with a milled projecting flange b at the muzzle end, so as to enable the sleeve A to be screwed tightly up into position from the muzzle end if so required.

The breech end a. of the riiied sleeve A is chambered to receive the nose d of the part D of the dummy cartridge and the end f of the miniature cartridge F. The cartridge part of the device consists of a dummy service telescopic cartridge, which conforms outwardly and exactly to the usual service cartridge and is formed of three pieces-viz., C, which is the steel base forming the body of the cartridge and acting as a guide for the striker E and which is split at c2 to spring into a recess at d2.

D forms the bullet end, which is chambered for the miniature cartridge F in such a manner that the bullet end f of the miniature cartridge can project beyond the nose end d of the dummy cartridge and also form a firm shoulder d3 for the cap end f2 to butt against. This part is also shaped externally to the form of 'the service-bullet, is bored at d4 to fit over the striker-guide H, and is provided with the aforementioned groove d2, having slots so as to enable it to be inserted and secured in the steel base C by a partial rotation.

E, which is the striker, formed of hard steel and turned to fit the guide H, and is provided with the enlargement e to prevent it slipping through and to control its forward movement in such a manner that when the dummy cartridge is forced home the one end e2 butts against the breech-bolt face and the other against the cap of the miniature cartridge, which may be of central or rim fire.

The mode of operation is as follows: For inserting the cartridge F the bullet end D is partially turned and drawn forward until it is released from the base C, and a miniature cartridge then inserted in the bullet end D, which is then pressed home on the base F and secured by a partial turn, as before de- IOO scribed, such loading of the dummy cartridges being effected prior to the soldier attending parade.

The dummy cartridgesmay be carried in the bandolier and the riiie loaded either independently or from the magazine, as in the case of ordinary service cartridges.

In the operation of loading the breech' bolt forces the dummy into the cartridge'- chamber until the nose d of the' bullet end engages the recess a in the sleeve A, and the further forward motion of the breech-bolt telescopesl the bullet end D into the base C, the head of the striker-guide II at the same timeforcing the miniature cartridge F through the nose end d into the chamber of the sleeve A, the action of firingv being effected by the striker E, which is operated by the ordinary pin of the breeche'bolt in the usual way.

What I claim as new, and desire tol secure by Letters Patent, isn 1.- A means for adapting service rifles to reduced ranges comprising an auxiliary cartridge-holder composed of a miniature-car# tridge-holdmg' shell, a tubular shell to telescope on the minature-cartridge-holding shell and a longitudinally-movable firing-pin in the tubular shell.

2. A means for adapting service rifles to reduced ranges comprising an auxiliary car'-Y tridgeeholder composed of a miniature-'cartridgeeholdin'g shell having a centrallyeloeated chamber therein conforming to the miniature cartridge, a tubular shell to telescope on the miniature-cartridge-holding shell, a guide within the tubular shell having a centrallyL located bore alined with said chamber and a longitudinally-movable firing-pin within the bore of the guide.

8. A means for adapting service rifles to" reduced ranges comprising an auxiliary car tridge-holder composed of a miniatureecar'- tridge-holding shell having a centrally-lo; cated chamber therein conforming to the miniature cartridge, a tubular shell to tele; scope von the nrluniatureT cartridge -holding' shell, a guide within the tubular shell having a centrally-located bore alined with said chamber, a longitudinally-movable firingpin Within the bore of the guide,.an enlarge ment formed on the firing-pin, and a shoulder in said chamber tobe engaged by said enlargement.

4. A device for adapting service riiies to reduced ranges comprising an auxiliary cartridge-holder composed of a miniature-car tridge-holding shell provided with detent members, a tubular shell to telescope on the miniature-cartridge-holding shell and having spring-clamps at its forward end to engage with the detent members of the miniaturecartridge-holding shell.-

5. A device for adapting service riiie's to reduced ranges comprising an auxiliary ear# tridge-holder composed of a miniat1`1re=earA tr'idge-holding shell provided with detent members, a tubular' shell to telescope on the spring-clamps at its forward end to engage with the detent members of the miniature-cartridg'e-holding shell, a centrally-located chamber' Within the miniature-cartrdge-holdng shell conforming to the miniature shell, a guide in' the tubular' shell having ay longitik dinal bore alined with said chamber and a longitudinallyemovable firing-pin contained in the bore of said` guide.

6. A device for adapting service rifies to tridg'e-holder composed of a mir'liature-carmembers, a tubular shell to telescope on the miniature=cartridge#holding shell, and having spring-clamps at its forward end to engage with the detent members of the miniature cartridge;holdingl shell, a centrallylocated chamber Within the miniature-cartridge-hold ing shell conforming to the guide in the tubular shell having a longitudinal bore alined with said chamber', a lonV gitudinallyemovable firing-pin contained in the bore of said guide, an enlargement for the iring-pin, and a shoulder in' said cham# ber to be engaged by said enlarg'enient.`

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT NAPOLEON TUCKER. Witnesses:

H.- D. JAMESON, A. NUTTING.

tridgeeholding shell provided with detentminiature shell, a

miniature cartridge holding shell having' reduced ranges comprising an' auxiliary car- 

